Rashida Z. Abdullah

Rashida Abdullah was born in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa to artists and entrepreneurs, Maimouna Emden and Ali Abdullah. Rashida is a dancer, choreographer, writer, poet, fashion designer and budding artist promoter and event coordinator. She is the mother of a phenomenal seven-year-old boy named Khaiel. She has taught and performed traditional African, interpretive and contemporary dance for nearly three decades. GIWAYEN MATA’s 18th anniversary marks Rashida’s 13th anniversary in performance with the company.

Rashida has a love, passion and appreciation for artistic expressions, which are inspired by and inspire the beauty and diversity of culture. Akin to breathing, dance, Rashida feels, is fluid and transformative… a healing medicine, math and science beyond limiting boundaries and restrictive definition. Rashida experiences and celebrates dance as the signature language of the soul. She is delighted to share this very personal interpretation of her being with GIWAYEN MATA’s audience and the world.